Tag Archives: mila kunis

Hello and welcome to Day Three of “Binky International Film Festival“. Over the past two days, we have reviewed some “Big Budget Awesomeness” and “Sundance Darlings” and today, we are going to concentrate on a genre that is as old as time itself: “Chick Flicks”. Despite being a cynic and a feminist, I have loved romantic comedies since I first saw When Harry Met Sally for the first time back in the sixth grade, and I’m not ashamed of it. 😉 Sure, this genre has declined rapidly over the last decade (where’s Meg Ryan when you need her?) but this year I have seen some improvements. There’s hope for this genre yet. So without further ado, grab your tub of Ben & Jerry’s and let’s dive straight in!

Note: Two of the movies in this post (Country Strong and Waiting For Forever) are not romantic comedies, but since these are the kind of movies that appeal more to women than men, I decided to put them in this category. Also: technically Bridesmaids needs to be in this category as well but since it receives quite a bit of nominations this award season, it’ll be in tomorrow’s “Award Worthy” genre.

2011 is a great year for one Ryan Gosling. Sure he lost the “Sexiest Man Alive” title to Bradley Cooper (which caused an uproar) but there is no denying that about 99% of women (plus about the same percentage of gay men) on earth want to have sex with him. Myself included. And this movie gives us about 50% of the reason why we all want him (the other 50% is divided between Drive and The Ides of March): he’s a confident, self-assured hottie with a body so perfect Emma Stone’s character accused his abs of being photoshopped. We all want to leave the bar and get straight to bed with him. But enough about Gosling! I think this movie is the best romcom of 2011. Carell is so hilarious, and he and Gosling play off each other so well. If you want to feel all warm and fuzzy while at the same time laugh so hard you nearly pee, you might want to give this movie a try if you haven’t already. You won’t regret it.

Two things I learned from watching this movie: one, I totally understand the Gwyneth Paltrow backlash and why people can’t stand her, and two, Leighton Meester can actually sing, you guys, provided that she wises up and embrace the country pop genre for real. No more of those pop dance-y singles, Leighton, stick with what you’re good at. Other than those two things, this movie is kind of meh. It feels more like Gwyneth Paltrow trying to prove she can do it all (act, sing country, act drunk etc), and the best part of the movie is when her character (spoiler alert) dies, and some sweet Hedlund/Meester scenes. The movie is just not that good, period. Color me unimpressed.

Just so you know I’m not exactly a fan of Ashton Kutcher and I always assume that a movie with him in the lead would suck. But luckily, I love Natalie Portman so I gave this romcom a chance and I didn’t regret it. The movie is quite funny, Natalie Portman is just so delightful in it. But then again, after her Oscar-winning turn in Black Swan, did we expect anything less? I also love that even though it followed a certain predictable romcom formula, it doesn’t rely too heavily on the cliches. The scene with Natalie Portman in the car, cry-singing “Bleeding Love” and binging on donut holes – that’s genuinely non-cliche funny. And we women can relate! It has happened to us once or twice, right? So even if you can’t stand Kutcher, I still recommend you check out this flick. It’ll put a smile on your face, seriously.

2011 is a pretty good year for movies, but someone somewhere in Hollywood must’ve screwed up because in the space of less than 6 months, two romcoms with identical premises came out, both with attractive leads and both with the same fast-talking zany humor. And who came out on top? Sorry Mila Kunis, but your Black Swan co-star beats you this time around. Out of the two movies, I like No Strings Attached better, maybe because Friends With Benefits tries a little too hard to be tongue-in-cheek and funny. And by the time the movie came out, flash mobs are so two years ago, no matter how cute Mila Kunis tries to convince you of otherwise.

I think I’m the only one who saw this little seen Rachel Bilson movie, and even though it wasn’t the best romantic film of the year, I actually didn’t hate it. Sure at first I thought Tom Sturridge’s character has mental disabilities or something, especially the way he pines for Rachel Bilson’s character but never once dares to make a move, but then I realized that he’s not, he just chooses to deal with the world in his own childlike way. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It may be naïve but it’s not idiotic. I also like Bilson taking on a more complicated role for once, and she’s pretty good in this movie too. But obviously Gwyneth Paltrow’s mom, Blythe Danner steals the scene. She’s just heartbreaking in this movie and if nothing else, she should be the reason to check out this movie. Trust me.

Do you ever wonder why, if a woman is successful at her career, and at the same time is successful at being a wife and mother, people ask “How does she do it?” as if women are expected to just be good at one thing and fail miserably at the other? Well this movie attempts to address this way of thinking, and I think it’s pretty successful in presenting the case that women can in fact do it all and we don’t have to apologize for wanting to be a good mother and a career woman, while not downplaying the hardships than are bound to come from wanting to have it all. The good thing about this movie: it deals with the real issues that working mothers actually deal with. The bad thing about this movie: Sarah Jessica Parker can be grating at times. I would have liked to see Christina Hendricks in the lead role instead of SJP, but that’s just me. All in all, it’s not the best, most inspiring movie about women (0r even the most accurate one, to be honest) but it’s pretty enjoyable nonetheless. And what do you know, Olivia Munn can act after all! She’s actually funny! We do learn something from this movie. 🙂

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

And there you have it, Day Three of Binky International Film Festival! I hope you’ve enjoyed all the chick flicks we’ve revisited today and don’t forget to come back tomorrow for Day Four, where we’ll be taking a look at this year’s “Award Worthy” movies. Until then!

There is a misconception out there in society that women are somehow always competing with other women. That we’re catty and jealous and we turn green when we’re near other women who are more superior, either in looks or intellect or both. I say this is a misconception because I find it to be a load of bullshit. Women are able to build sincere, genuine friendships with other women and instead of turning green with envy when we see someone who’s more beautiful or smarter or both, we actually genuinely admire them and aspire to be like them.

This kind of admiration and/or aspiration is what I like to call having a “girl-crush”. It’s not a sexual thing, it’s just that “oh my god she’s so cool, she’s amazing” feeling that we get whenever we see a certain woman that we admire, whether for her looks, her talents, her intellects, her sense of style, or all of the above. We don’t want to compete with these women and we don’t necessarily want to be exactly like them, we just want to be their best friend.

In my lifetime I have a lot of girl-crushes, some are my own friends, some are celebrities. But this time around I just want to focus on the latter and count down my Top 10 Girl Crushes of The Moment. Why? Because women are awesome and we need to celebrate us. I know International Women’s Day have come and gone but we need more than just one day to celebrate the amazing, wonderful creatures that we are, right? 🙂

So let’s not waste any moment and get straight to the countdown, shall we?

My Top 10 Girl Crushes of The Moment:

10/ Shannon Woodward

The rising star of Raising Hope may not be a household name just yet, but seeing how she can hold her own against the great Martha Plimpton and Cloris Leachman on a weekly basis, I have a feeling that it’s just a matter of time before she becomes a critics and award shows darling like her longtime boyfriend Andrew Garfield. This gorgeous brunette is absolutely delightful as Sabrina, the quick-witted supermarket clerk that soon stole not only lead character Jimmy’s heart but also yours truly. She’s gorgeous, she’s funny, she’s got an easy coolness about her and she’s dating the new Spiderman. She’s definitely worthy to be in the number ten spot.

9/ Leighton Meester

When Gossip Girl first debuted in the Fall of 2007, producers Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage clearly thought that Blake Lively’s Serena would be the one character that the show would revolve around. But they didn’t expect how easily and masterfully my number 9 girl-crush stole the show and made Blair Waldorf the character that everyone is obsessed with. Leighton Meester makes the snobby, neurotic and aristocratic Blair Waldorf accessible, funny and endearing and there is no doubt this girl will move on to even greater things after Gossip Girl, which is why she gets to sit pretty right here at number 9.

8/ Olivia Wilde

Just like Leighton Meester, Olivia Wilde got her start thanks to the hit show creating duo Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage when she landed a recurring role in season two of The OC as Seth’s (and a few episodes later, Marissa’s) love interest. Now, her career seems unstoppable, with her starring in the Fox’s hit medical drama House and headlining Jon Favreau’s much anticipated summer blockbuster Cowboys and Aliens. Even though her personal life took a hit recently, this talented beauty is still amazing enough to earn the number 8 spot in this list. Look at her! How can anyone not have a crush on her?

7/ Kristen Bell

The world may only be aware of the beauty and talents of this petite blond after she starred in the blockbuster comedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall, but fans of cult-favorite (and canceled too soon) teen detective show Veronica Mars have known and loved Kristen Bell since she broke into the scene as the titular character that was worshiped by fans everywhere. Now Ms Bell is all grown up and moving to movies, while enjoying a quiet, tabloid-free life with her husband Dax Sheppard. A teen star who grows up to be a functioning adult? You bet yo’ ass she’s girl-crush material!

6/ Emma Stone

We first met her when she starred opposite Jonah Hill in Superbad and subsequently fell in love with her when she totally kicked ass in movies like Zombieland and Easy A. Emma Stone is the girl we all wish we had been when we were younger; beautiful, smart, confident and uber-talented. After nabbing a Golden Globe nomination this year, she’s now busy cozying up to Andrew Garfield’s Spiderman as she takes on the role of his new love interest, Gwen. Do we even need a reason to love this girl more?

5/ Carey Mulligan

She got an Oscar nomination from her breakout role as Jenny in An Education, and she continues to impress critics with her talents to this day. Her recent film Never Let Me Go may have flopped in the box office but critics agree that she gave a tour-de-force performance in the sci-fi drama. Aside from her obvious talent, she’s also quite the style icon, continuing to impress fashion lovers everywhere with her choice of red carpet style. Beautiful, talented and stylish? She’s definitely #5 girl-crush worthy.

4/ Mila Kunis

Another Oscar-nominee in our list, Mila Kunis first became a household name when she starred as the loud and superficial Jackie Burkhart in the hit comedy That 70s Show at the tender age of fifteen. Unlike most of the other cast members whose careers have somewhat stalled after the show was canceled, Kunis went on to bigger and brighter things, from starring opposite our #7 girl-crush in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, to finally landing the role that gave her an Oscar nod in Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan. Macaulay Culkin may have fallen out of love with her but my girl-crush on this gorgeous brunette is definitely still going strong!

3/ Dianna Agron

This beautiful Gleek first grabbed our attention as the girl we all loved to hate, the bitchy blond head cheerleader whose sole mission in life is to torture those less superior from her. But Agron’s true inner beauty was too bright to conceal, and her Glee character Quinn soon followed suit and became more and more lovable. Now that’s a powerful testament to how amazing this girl is. She’s not only gorgeous and has a sweet voice, she’s also a sensitive artist who loves photography, and her Tumblr blog shows how multi-layered and intelligent she really is. Is it any wonder that she’s in my #3 spot?

2/ Rashida Jones

Our #2 girl seems destined to be in showbiz, after all she’s the daughter of legendary producer Quincy Jones and model Poppy Lipton, and she’s drop dead gorgeous. But unlike most kids with famous parents, she opted to pursue a Harvard education instead of pretending to be famous in Hollywood right after high school. She only became a household name when she joined the cast of The Office in season three as Karen Fillipelli, and after her stint at The Office was over, moved over to the charming and underrated Parks and Recreation, where she plays sensible nurse Ann Perkins. A drop dead gorgeous Harvard graduate with a good head on her shoulders, the lovely miss Jones truly deserves to be the runner up in this countdown.

1/ Zooey Deschanel

For those of you who have been following this blog from the very beginning, the number one girl in this list should come as no surprise. I have mentioned my love of this quirky indie actress/musician many times and let’s just say my girl-crush on her is not something I’ll get over any time soon. How can I? She’s adorable, super stylish, fabulously down-to-earth, funny and sweetly approachable. She’s everything I want to (but could never) be. And the fact that she’s married to the frontman of my favorite band (Ben Gibbard of Death Cab For Cutie) just makes me love her more. And that is why, my friends, she’s my number one girl-crush of (probably) all time.

So there you have it, ten amazing women I absolutely admire. Who’s your girl-crush?

Now that you’ve all seen The Golden Globes and read the highlights, it’s time for us to focus on what really matters: the red carpet fashion. This is what award season is all about, people, indulging on our favorite pastime of drinking wine and judging people. And by people, I mean unsuspecting celebrities walking the red carpet and hoping against all hopes that Joan Rivers will not tear them a new one the next day.

Since the Golden Globes is where movie and TV stars collide, there were a LOT of looks and red carpet photos to sort through before I could make my choices on Best and Worst Dressed of the night. I’m bound to miss a few amazing or atrocious looks, so please understand that I’m doing the best I can. 🙂 With that in mind, let’s get straight to the celebs, shall we?

The Beautiful:

Hailee Steinfeld

She’s only fourteen but my god, she’s stunning! I don’t really know who she was wearing, but I have to give her stylist props for remembering that she is fourteen. That beautiful white halter dress is very age-appropriate, and her minimal make up is fresh and youthful.

Dianna Agron in J. Mendel and Cathy Waterman Jewelries

This Glee star gets it right all the time. She wowed us all with her Carolina Herrera gown at the Emmys, and now in this blush J.Mendel she just looks so ethereal and beautiful. The Cathy Waterman necklace around her neck adds a touch of old Hollywood glamor, and overall she just looks like a breathtaking porcelain doll.

Natalie Portman in Viktor & Rolf

I think this woman is probably the most beautiful woman on the face of the earth. She’s pregnant right now but looks as slim as she did in Black Swan. I hate her. 🙂 The pink Viktor & Rolf dress looks perfect, and I love the rose accents and strawberry-colored clutch.

Heather Morris in Lorena Sarbu

When I saw her walking down the red carpet, I was blown away by little miss Brittany S. Pierce. Wow, she looks amazing. Love that sparkly, champagne-colored dress, love her hair and make up and most of all, love her attitude. Work it, girl!

Mila Kunis in Vera Wang

Somewhere in Los Angeles, Macaulay Culkin is weeping. His former lady love looks absolutely stunning in this emerald Vera Wang gown, bringing just enough drama and class to turn everyone’s heads. Hell, even the guy behind her is checking her out.

Sofia Vergara in Vera Wang

Wearing this year’s IT color “honeysuckle pink”, this Modern Family star looks absolutely muy caliente on the red carpet, prompting Kelly Osbourne to gush as she watches her from E’s Glam Cam 360. She may lost the Globes to Jane Lynch, but she’s a big winner on the carpet for sure.

Nicole Kidman in Prada

New York’s Magazine Fug Girls may think this cream Prada gown is boring, but in my opinion Nicole Kidman looks fantastic. She definitely has the body to carry off such a sleek, beautiful dress, and even though she towers over her husband Keith Urban, she still looks incredible as she poses for the cameras.

Best Dressed of The Night:

Olivia Wilde in Marchesa

My pick for Best Dressed Celeb of 2010, Olivia Wilde is definitely on her way to becoming the best dressed celeb of 2011 in this dramatic and fabulous Marchesa gown. I usually don’t like elaborate dresses, but man, she can carry it off. She even jokes that she can eat a cheeseburger in that thing. Too bad she doesn’t eat meat, though.

The Bold (Okay, Mostly Bad):

Lea Michele in Oscar de la Renta and Lorraine Schwartz jewelries

InStyle Magazine loves this look a lot, but for some reason this Glee star reminds me of a cupcake in that giant ruffly Oscar De La Renta gown. It’s just a little too much. Sorry, Lea.

January Jones in Versace

She is the face of Versace this year, so I get that she has to wear a Versace gown, but I’m so not sure about this “bondage” dress. Her boobs just look tortured, and not in a good way (is there a good way for boobs to look tortured?). Oh Miss Jones. First there was that polarizing cone bra mullet dress at last year’s Emmy. Now this. I’m thinking you and Versace don’t get along as well as you think you do.

Nylon Magazine LOVES this look and thinks that Emma Stone is the best dressed of the night, but I beg to differ. Anybody else thinks she looks like a piece of fruit in that sherbet-colored Calvin Klein dress? She does have the body for it but man, that color with her newly blond hair just don’t work. She has to stay blond for Spider-Man, but I’m thinking she can chuck the dress and swear never to go down that path again. I still love her though.

Julianne Moore

Julianne Moore’s dress is so wacky, even InStyle doesn’t want to admit she was ever on that red carpet. So far I haven’t gotten a clue as to who actually designed that pink insanity, but when I have more info I’ll definitely update this post. But I mean, really, do we need to explain further why this dress is atrocious? Gotta love Moore though, she really knows how to bring the crazy.

Heidi Klum

Yes, Heidi, we get that the 70s is making a comeback, but are you kidding me, woman? That dress, the bow thing in the middle, the stack of bangles (best jewelries, InStyle? Really?), the thigh-high slit… I’m sorry, but no. Just no.

Jennifer Lopez in Zuhair Murad and Harry Winston Jewelries

I’m going to let New York Magazine’s Fug Girls to describe this dress to you: “J. Lo appears to be wearing a cape made of a bridal veil” and my favorite: “She is wearing a glittery, see-through poncho, you guys. A PONCHO. It is crazy unflattering and also just plain old crazy.” Couldn’t have said it better myself. (Actually, I tweeted: blech, J-Lo’s dress, so I know I didn’t say it better).

Tilda Swinton

If some other actress wore this to the red carpet, I’d probably be absolutely hating it. But it’s Tilda Swinton and this is actually right up her alley. It kind of what makes me love her. I’m still not sure if that’s an oxford shirt tucked in a skirt or an actual dress, or really who made the whole thing for her but it’s all so very Tilda, and you gotta love her for always bringing the crazy and unexpected.

Christina Hendricks in Romona Keveza and Chopard jewelries

Oh Joan. You know I love you and hate doing this to you, but seriously, girl, you need to tone it down a little when on the red carpet. The red dress, the giant flower right by your face, along with your boobs and voluminous red hair… well it’s just all a little bit too much. Sorry, darling.

Jane Fonda in George Hobeika

I know shoulder pads are totally in right now, but this dress just looks so Star Trek-y to me that I don’t think it suits Ms Fonda very well. I’m pretty sure it doesn’t suit anyone very well, unless it’s Zoe Saldana, as she walks the carpet in character as Uhura, Spock’s girlfriend. Is George Hobeika just an alias for George Takei?

Worst Dressed of The Night:

Halle Berry in Nina Ricci and Harry Winston Jewelries

New York Magazine’s Fug Girls once again nailed it on the head when they described Ms Berry’s look as: “From the neck up, she looks amazing. From the neck down, she looks like the rest of her dress got mauled off by a bear.” Amen to that. Halle Berry, what were you thinking? This is worse than when you showed up on the red carpet wearing a bikini top. I mean, people were whistling at you on the red carpet, and we fear it might have been sarcastic. No, darling. You are way too beautiful and elegant to show up at an event like this in your underwear. Please don’t do this to us.

The Bizarre:

Helena Bonham Carter in Vivienne Westwood

There were plenty of crazies on the Globes red carpet, but Helena Bonham Carter is definitely the reigning queen of whack last night. Where to begin? Everything about her look was purposely wacky, from the crazy hair to those two different shoes. God bless her. She makes the red carpet so much fun to watch. No wonder Tim Burton is “the father of her bastards” (her words, not mine), she definitely looks like a character in his movies (which, incidentally, she always is).

The Boys:

Armie Hammer

Could this man be any more gorgeous? I mean, my god, WOW. Hello, lover.

Kevin McHale

We love a guy who is not afraid to wear studded tuxedo. You go, Artie!

Matthew Bomer

I know people are still speculating about his sexuality, but I hope he’s straight. I want to have a chance with him.

Andrew Garfield

Oh, Andrew Garfield. I wish you were my very own friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. I want to step into your web.

Harry Shum, Jr.

The Glee Guys were totally bringing it at the Globes. We already know what great abs Other Asian aka Harry Shum, Jr has underneath that fabulous checked shirt…

Corey Monteith

No wonder Ryan Murphy said the cast of Glee has a lot of sex. I mean, really. Just look at the sheer adorable-ness of one Corey Monteith. Love.

So there you have it, the Golden Globes red carpet redux. Hope you’ve enjoyed this post and I’ll see you at the Oscars!

On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me; two black swans, one kick-ass tween and a country-singing queen bee. 🙂 Welcome back to another day of My (quite ambitious) 12 Days of Christmas Countdown. If you’re getting bored with this already, I’m sorry. But it’s not my fault that it’s 12 Days of Christmas instead of three. Anyway, I’ve covered the 10 Movie Screen Scorchers yesterday so naturally today is all about the ladies. Who are this year’s most fabulous big screen actresses? Let’s get right to it.

My Top 10 Fabulous Big Screen Ladies of 2010

1/ Natalie Portman, Black Swan.

This time last year, Sandra Bullock was the talk of Hollywood. Her performance in The Blind Side impressed the critics so much that she was getting a much-deserved Oscar buzz. Now, it’s Natalie Portman’s turn. Her performance in Black Swan got everyone a-buzzin’ and she’s pretty much got the Oscar nomination in the bag. And that’s why she’s our number one lady. She’s always been immensely talented, I remember seeing her in The Professional and being utterly amazed by her tour-de-force performance. She was only about 13 at the time. I knew winning an Oscar was only a matter of time for this Harvard graduate, and the time could be now. And if she doesn’t, hey, at least she’ll have something else to look forward to. Mazel Tov, Natalie!

2/ Mila Kunis, Black Swan.

Natalie Portman isn’t the only actress from Black Swan getting rave reviews and award nominations, and I couldn’t be happier for our number two lady. Not only is she one of my girl-crushes, she’s also a terrific actress who can nail both dramatic and comedic roles with such ease and grace. Kunis got her start in the hit Fox comedy That 70s Show, but when the careers of other That 70s Show stars seem to have stalled (even Kutcher’s), Kunis’ star continues to rise. I don’t know if she’s going to get an Oscar nomination, unlike Portman, her Globes and SAG nominations come as a total surprise, but even without it I have no doubt she’ll dominate the big screen. She’s beautiful, talented and surprisingly low-key. And those are all great qualities to have in this business.

3/ Chloe Grace Moretz, Kick-Ass/Let Me In.

I’m not usually a big fan of child actors. I find most of them, especially the girls, precocious and grating. But when I saw this tween actress in Kick-Ass, I changed my mind completely. She. Was. AWESOME. Some of my girl friends were horrified watching her violently kill people and fluently use coarse language (including the C-word) in the movie, but she totally rocked my world. And then I saw her in that vampire film Let Me In, the American adaptation of the Swedish movie “Let The Right One In”, and I was just in awe of her. I mean, she really put R-Pattz and his band of sparkly vampires to shame. She was tortured and evil at the same time, it’s amazing. And to think, she’s only 13! She may not be a “lady” yet, but she’s so fabulous she deserves a spot in this list.

4/ Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine.

When she started out on Dawson’s Creek, I don’t think we all quite expected that she would be the one with an impressive career – since the show was all about Katie Holmes’ Joey. But Katie Holmes is nothing more than Tom Cruise’s wife now while Michelle Williams is an Oscar-nominated actress, and a critics’ darling. Sure, most people pay attention to her because of Heath Ledger and his untimely death, but before and after Ledger, Williams have shown she’s an actress to be taken seriously. Now with Blue Valentine, I won’t be surprised if she gets nominated for another Oscar. And I bet it won’t be the last.

5/ Julianne Moore, The Kids Are All Right.

We may tease her fake Boston accent when she guest-starred in 30 Rock as Jack Donaghy’s long lost love, but we can’t deny her amazing performance in The Kids Are All Right. As Jules, she is funny, confusing, often frustrating and yet very likable, even after she cheats on her wife with Mark Rufallo. She takes a complex character and plays her in a very human way, giving us access and room to relate. And that’s just one of the reasons why she’s so fabulous. I don’t know if she’ll be nominated for an Oscar, but I have a feeling she might take home the Globes. You hear that HFPA? Give that trophy to Jules already!

6/ Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right.

Remember when Annette Bening used to only be famous for being Warren Beatty’s wife? No? Neither do I, because this Mrs. Warren Beatty has been nominated for so many awards over the last decade that no one even seems to remember who she’s married to. There are only a few actresses in this world that can sell a movie to me (as in, I’ll watch the movie simply because she’s in it and no other reason), and Annette Bening is one of those few. I’m actually surprised she hasn’t won an Oscar yet, she shines in every role. If only both her and Julianne Moore can win in that Best Actress Comedy category at the Globes… ah, that would make me one very happy camper.

7/ Jennifer Lawrence, Winter’s Bone.

She’s still considered a newcomer now, but considering her critically-acclaimed performance in Winter’s Bone and the fact that she’ll be in the next X-Men movie, I’m thinking she’ll be a mega star before long. I actually didn’t know this girl before I saw Winter’s Bone, but now I’m totally in awe of her. Hollywood is filled with troubled and not that talented young actresses, so seeing this relative unknown carry an intense movie and a difficult role with such conviction just gives me hope that Hollywood is not lacking in talent after all.

8/ Emma Stone, Easy A.

If you thought Emma Stone was charming and fun in Superbad, you’re going to fall in love with her, like majorly, in Easy A. She wasn’t only charming, she was funny, self-assured and brilliant. Yeah, sure, playing a seventeen-year-old dealing with nasty high school rumors may not seem like a stretch, compared to, feather-plucking ballerina for example, but as Lindsay Lohan proves in Mean Girls, it’s not that easy either. And this redhead succeeds where Lohan failed, she actually can act. If Tina Fey ever thinks of writing another teen comedy, she should have Emma Stone’s number on speed-dial.

9/ Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World.

She wasn’t on my radar before Scott Pilgrim, but after seeing her rock a blue (and sometimes green and red) hair in the film, I have a major girl-crush on her. She has primarily been called a “scream queen” thanks to her roles in various horror films like Final Destination 3 and The Thing, but I think she can move up to comic book hero any time soon. Have they cast the new Mary Jane for Spiderman yet? She and Andrew Garfield will so burn up the screen!

10/ Leighton Meester, Country Strong.

I know Gwyneth Paltrow is the star of the country music drama, but just like her character in the movie, Ms Meester is slowly stealing the spotlight. First of all, despite her failed attempt at being a music star, she actually sounds amazing in the soundtrack, which got me thinking that she should’ve gone country instead of all pop R&B with Robin Thicke in the first place, and second, she already said that her contract with Gossip Girl is ending in two years, which means, considering the steady drop in quality, she’ll be free to star in more movies soon. Besides, we’ve already established that she’s a way better actress than Blake Lively. She’s the queen bee after all.

And that wraps up my Top 10 Fabulous Big Screen Ladies of 2010. I hope you’re still enjoying my 12 Days of Christmas series, I’ll be back tomorrow with the Top 10 Worst Movies of 2010. Don’t worry, I won’t forget to include The Tourist. 🙂

…And I’m back again! I know, I took a long hiatus after Summer, but sometimes I just get too busy or too preoccupied with something to blog, I hope you’ll forgive me. But alas, I return for one reason and one reason only: Awards Season is here. ‘Tis the season to be jolly! Ryan and Scar-Jo may be breaking up and Miley Cyrus may be going off the deep end, but that doesn’t stop the Hollywood Foreign Press Association from unveiling the nominations for the 68th Annual Golden Globe Awards yesterday. And as always, I am here to guide you through it, as well as sharpen my Vegas odds-maker skills in trying to predict the outcome. Last year, I didn’t do too great. Let’s hope this year I do better. 🙂

Okay, let’s get straight to the nominations, shall we? Just like last year, I’m going to tell you Who I Think Will Win and Who I Want To Win. Unlike last year though, this year I’m going to also weigh in on what or who I think is the biggest upset in the category, as well as the biggest snub. This year’s list is a doozy, so I figure I should change up the format a bit to fit my mood. Anyway, without further ado, here it is, your 68th Annual Golden Globes nominees:

Best Picture, Drama:

Black Swan
The Fighter
Inception
The King’s Speech
The Social Network

Who I Think Will Win:

Inception. Why? It’s not because I actually did love the movie and I was one of those people who spent weeks discussing the ending and the metaphors behind everything with my friends, it’s more because Avatar won Best Picture last year, even though we were all rooting for either The Hurt Locker or Inglourious Basterds. The HFPA love big stars and big movies, and Inception has both going for them. Not to mention, aside from the astronomical budget and Box Office Returns, it was also a critics’ darling – which makes it all the more likely for Inception to get the love it probably won’t get at the Oscars.

Who I Want To Win:

Black Swan. Why? This Darren Aronofsky thriller has managed to do the impossible: make ballet dancing and ballerinas scare the shit out of me. I’d say that deserves an award in and of itself, but to give a more justified answer: the movie was pure brilliance. As simple as that.

Biggest Upset: Oddly enough, Inception. I loved the movie, but I don’t think it should be in the Best Picture category. Special Effects, Directing, definitely. Screenplay, sure. Or maybe I’m just not down with hugely successful movies in this category. Award shows are supposed to honor the movies nobody watches, right? 🙂

Biggest Snub: Winter’s Bone. I mean, I know it’s a small indie movie that most people didn’t see, but again, isn’t that what Award Shows are all about?

UPDATE: Winner: The Social Network.

Best Picture, Comedy/Musical:

Alice in Wonderland
Burlesque
The Kids Are All Right
Red
The Tourist

Who I Think Will Win & Who I Want To Win:

The Kids Are All Right. Why? Have you seen the nomination? It’s a complete doozy. I mean, come on, The Tourist? Burlesque? Red? The only one that deserves the win in this category is the charming The Kids Are All Right, a sweet, funny and poignant tale about the ups and downs of a modern, unconventional family. No matter how whacked the HFPA can be sometimes, I doubt they’ll pass this one for any of the other four. If they do, then I guess Miley isn’t the only one who likes to smoke up.

Biggest Upset: The Tourist. Sure Burlesque, Red and Alice In Wonderland don’t really deserve to be nominated either, but quality-wise, each one of those movies is actually way better than The Disappointment Formerly Known As The Tourist. The HFPA must have a huge crush on Johnny Depp or something.

Biggest Snub: Love And Other Drugs. It’s not amazing, but it’s way, waaaay better than The Tourist.

Natalie Portman, Black Swan. Why? It’s no secret that the HFPA loves this girl. A few years ago, Portman won the Golden Globes for her role in Closer, and she was not nearly as intense in that movie as she was in Black Swan.

Who I Want To Win:

Jennifer Lawrence, Winter’s Bone. Why? She’s relatively unknown and still very young, but she was phenomenal in this indie drama. She may be too unknown to win this category, but I’m still rooting for her anyway.

Biggest Upset: Halle Berry. It isn’t so much as an upset as a surprise. Nobody expects Halle to be nominated, I guess. But she’s an amazing actress nonetheless.

Biggest Snub: Tilda Swinton. I still can’t believe that her performance in I Am Love (pure brilliance, as always), was overlooked. Are they getting tired of praising Tilda?

James Franco, 127 Hours. Why? Just because I didn’t have the stomach to watch the movie, doesn’t mean the HFPA did too. And according to those who have seen it, Franco truly deserves the win for his performance. After all, he was acting all by himself in most of his scenes, and people actually literally fainted while watching the self-amputation scene. Plus, he’s a big star, he’s hosting the Oscars this year, and he’s the hardest working actor in Hollywood right now. And didn’t the HFPA totally give him a nomination for Pineapple Express? Yeah, he’s so gonna win this one.

Who I Want To Win:

Ryan Gosling, Blue Valentine. Why? I have a soft spot for this quirky Canadian actor. He always commits to a role and gives it all he’s got. He may not have a self-amputation scene going for him, but that doesn’t make him less of an actor.

Christopher Nolan, Inception. Why? Well, let’s see the HFPA picked James Cameron as Best Director last year so by that logic, Nolan has this one in the bag. And as for me, I just think he deserves some credit for directing the mind-bending sensation that prompts the Twitter world to use the phrase “mind-fuck” in a sentence.

Biggest Upset: None.

Biggest Snub: I have no idea, actually. Oh, the director for True Grit, definitely!

Melissa Leo, The Fighter. Why? I haven’t seen this movie yet, but the critics are all a-buzzing about her performance as Alice Eklund. And come on, it’s Melissa Leo. She’s a powerhouse!

Who I Want To Win:

Mila Kunis, Black Swan. Why? I’ve loved her since she first started out in That 70s Show as Jackie, Ashton Kutcher’s girlfriend with a shrill unforgettable voice. She was a mere 15-year-old at the time. Now she’s all grown up and have matured into a fantastic actress and a force to be reckoned with. I personally think she deserves a win, it’ll be great for her career.

Biggest Upset: Surprisingly, none. The only surprise is Kunis, but hell I think she deserves to be nominated.

Biggest Snub: Dale Dickey. If you’ve seen Winter’s Bone, you’ll know what I’m talking about. If you haven’t, let’s move on to the next category, it’s a little hard to explain, seeing that she’s not a big-name star and all.

Geoffrey Rush, The King’s Speech. Why? Do you even need to ask? It’s Geoffrey Rush, for god’s sake!

Who I Want To Win:

Andrew Garfield, The Social Network. Why? To be honest, even though I thought he did a great job in The Social Network, the only reason why I want him to win is so I’d get to see him up on stage in his tux and thank people with that delicious British accent of his. We won’t be hearing much of that after he puts on his spidey suit… can you blame a girl for hoping? 🙂

Biggest Upset: Michael Douglas. Sure he was the only good thing to come out of the disaster that is Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, but I mean, really?

Biggest Snub: Justin Timberlake. Look, even though he annoys us with those geeky glasses he’s been sporting lately, he still gave the performance of his life in The Social Network. Too bad he used to be in N’Sync, that probably what did him in.

UPDATE: Winner: Christian Bale, The Fighter.

Best Actress, Comedy:

Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right
Anne Hathaway, Love and Other Drugs
Angelina Jolie, The Tourist
Emma Stone, Easy A
Julianne Moore, The Kids Are All Right

Who I Think Will Win:

Annette Bening, The Kids Are All Right. Honestly, it could easily be Julianne Moore, they were both amazing in this movie.

Who I Want To Win:

Julianne Moore, The Kids Are All Right. See Above Explanation.

Biggest Upset: Angelina Jolie. She was compared to a Madame Tussaud’s wax figurine by critics, so why is she nominated?

Johnny Depp, Alice In Wonderland. Why? Considering that it’s Depp vs Depp in this category, I’m thinking he’s going to at least win it for his role as Mad Hatter. HFPA loves Johnny in costume. I think they gave him the Globes for Jack Sparrow too, if I’m not mistaken. As for me, I’m just partial to Johnny Depp and I’d rather him win for Alice In Wonderland than –shudder– The Tourist.

Biggest Upset: Johnny Depp, The Tourist. I know I just said I’m partial to Johnny Depp (who isn’t?) but he shouldn’t be nominated for – according to the New York Magazine – wearing what looked like a dead beaver on his head, just no.

Mad Men. Why? Mad Men is still a critics darling and it’s always consistent in its quality, unlike say True Blood, which isn’t even nominated this year. Boardwalk Empire could take the win, of course, it’s definitely a strong contender, but I think this is still Mad Men’s year.

Biggest Upset: The Walking Dead. I don’t know how I feel about zombies… but I guess they are the new vampires.

Steve Buscemi, Boardwalk Empire. Why? We know the HFPA loves to give awards to film actors who make the transition to television (Glenn Close comes to mind). And even though some people complained that Buscemi can’t carry a show, I thought he did a wonderful job portraying corrupt politician Enoch “Nucky” Thompson. Subtle acting is definitely one of Buscemi’s forte.

Who I Want To Win:

Jon Hamm, Mad Men. Why? If you think my reason for wanting him to win is similar to that of Andrew Garfield, you’d be right. Jon Hamm is a god, he needs to be on stage, wearing that tux, thanking people and making us fall in love over and over again with him.

Biggest Upset: Hugh Laurie. This season of House isn’t even that great to begin with. And he’s nominated like every year since the first season of House, it’s time for the HFPA to honor other leading men.

Biggest Snub: Kyle Chandler. What’s with the lack of Friday Night Lights love, HFPA? And in their last season too? Brutal.

Laura Linney, The Big C. Why? Again, the HFPA has a history of awarding film actors who made the transition to TV (I’m thinking next year Forrest Whitaker will be nominated for the Criminal Minds spin-off). However, Linney does deserve the win for her performance as cancer-stricken housewife Cathy. She was heartbreaking, funny and annoying all at the same time. I’d be genuinely surprised if she doesn’t win.

Biggest Upset: Lea Michele. The second season of Glee has its ups and downs, and even though I still love the show and Michele herself, I’m just not so sure why she’s up there instead of say, Allison Brie from Community, who has given a stellar performance this season (and the previous too).

Biggest Snub: Allison Brie, for the reason I mentioned above. Also, for Annie’s Boobs. (If you don’t know what I’m talking about, WATCH COMMUNITY every Thursday night. It’s the best show on TV, according to me and New York Magazine!)

Steve Carell, The Office. Why? Same reason why I thought Emmy voters would pick him last September, this is his last season of The Office, which means, the last time he’d ever get the chance of winning in this category (until he lands on another brilliant comedy, of course). Emmy voters ended up giving the award to my pick Jim Parsons in a surprising yet delightful turn, but the HFPA usually loves to defy the Emmys, so I think Carell is still a strong contender.

Who I Want To Win:

Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory. Why? He’s the BEST thing about the show, especially this season, when the comedy feels forced and the writers don’t seem to know where they want to take the characters. That one episode when Sheldon adopted a bunch of cats to get over losing Amy Farrah Fowler was especially hilarious, all thanks to this talented thespian. And hey, the Emmy voters loved him too!

Biggest Upset: Matthew Morrison. I promise you, I’m a true blue Gleek. This is not me hating on Glee, okay, because I LOVE the show. I laugh, I cry and I download every song from every episode, that’s how much of a Gleek I am. So don’t start a hate campaign against me just because I put both Glee stars in this category. The reason simply is that I just don’t think Morrison’s performance is strong enough this season to be nominated. Especially not when Community’s Danny Pudi and Donald Glover (as well as Joel McHale) killed it every week. And not to mention Bored To Death’s Jason Schwartzman, who left me in stitches every time.

Katey Sagal, Sons of Anarchy. Why? This is the first time Katey Sagal is nominated for Sons of Anarchy, a nomination that is well-deserved, considering her sensational performance in this critically-acclaimed show week after week. I think to make up for snubbing her these past few years, the HFPA are going to give her the win. And if they don’t, they should.

Who I Want To Win:

Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men. Why? Over the last four season, Peggy is the only character in Mad Men with real growth and transformation; going from being Don’s naive but ambitious secretary in season one, to a junior copywriter in season two, to actually holding her own against the boisterous and cocky male copywriters in season three, and, in “The Suitcase” episode of season four, showing the audience and Don Draper himself that she is no longer his mousy ex-secretary, but his equal in many ways. And that transformation is played out so nicely by Elisabeth Moss, who up to now has not received love from both the HFPA and the Emmys. What can I say, I always root for the underdog.

Biggest Upset: Piper Perabo. I don’t think I need to explain this one. I mean, first of all, Covert Affairs is so bad, it’s actually insulting our intelligence. Second, her acting matches the show perfectly, in the sense that it’s just as insufferable. No one seems to understand WHY she’s nominated, not when there’s Connie Britton, January Jones, Anna Paquin, Mariska Hargitay. I blame Miley Cyrus bong again.

Biggest Snub: Connie Britton. Seriously, this is unforgivable!

UPDATE: Winner: Katey Sagal, Sons of Anarchy. (Called it!)

Best Screenplay

Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network
Christopher Nolan, Inception
Lisa Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg, The Kids Are All Right
David Seidler, The King’s Speech
Danny Boyle and Simon Beaufoy, 127 Hours

Who I Think Will Win & Who I Want To Win:

Aaron Sorkin, The Social Network. Why? The Social Network is a favorite this awards season, and it’s mostly thanks to Sorkin’s brilliant screenplay and Fincher’s directing. The fast-paced dialogues are Sorkin’s forte, and let’s face it, we hung on to every word that was uttered in that movie. Even though we know Sorkin preferred to ignore the true events, we didn’t really care. His dramatization was probably what made the movie much more interesting than Mark Zuckerberg’s real life story.

Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family. Why? Okay, the HFPA totally snubbed Modern Family last year, and as we know, the show went on to win the highest honor, Best Comedy, at the Emmys. And now, I think they’re going to try to make up for it by giving Modern Family the win. Considering Stonestreet is always pitch-perfect every week, I don’t mind it one bit.

Who I Want To Win:

Chris Colfer, Glee. Why? Stonestreet beat Colfer at the Emmys, so as always I’m rooting for the underdog. Also, Kurt has been getting some meaty materials this season on Glee and Colfer definitely shines every week. My favorite would be when he was kissed by the jock who bullied him in “Never Been Kissed”, the way he reacted was so raw and poignant, I want to hand him an award right then and there.

Biggest Upset: Scott Caan. Hawaii Five-O is fun to watch and all, but it’s definitely not award-show worthy. And even though Caan makes the show with his witty banter, I’m not so sure why he’s in this category at all.

Biggest Snub: Ty Burrell, and all the guys in Modern Family, really. But mostly Ty Burrell. He’s so funny, it’s truly a crime that Scott Caan gets nominated and he doesn’t.

Kelly MacDonald, Boardwalk Empire. Why? Just like Peggy Olsen in Mad Men, only a lot faster, Kelly MacDonald‘s Margaret Schroeder transforms the most out of all the characters (especially the females) in Boardwalk Empire. And you can see it in every episode, she’s subtly changing and becoming less of Nucky Thompson’s mistress and more of an equal. She nails her part every time, in every scene. I won’t be surprised if she turns out to be HFPA’s favorite.

Who I Want To Win:

Sofia Vergara, Modern Family. Why? She lost to Jane Lynch at the Emmys, and even though I was happy for Lynch’s win, a part of me wanted Vergara to win as well, because she is perfect as Gloria; hilarious, fun and hysterical. I think it’s about time that she gets an accolade, don’t you?

Biggest Upset: Julia Stiles. Many critics seem to think her performance was underwhelming in Dexter. But apparently not the HFPA.

Biggest Snub: Jennifer Carpenter. Speaking of Dexter, a lot of people think Jennifer Carpenter should’ve been nominated instead of Stiles, and I happen to agree with them. But I guess this way she wouldn’t have to share a table with her soon-to-be ex-hubby. Awkward.

UPDATE: Winner: Jane Lynch, Glee.

TV Series, Comedy:

30 Rock
The Big Bang Theory
The Big C
Glee
Modern Family
Nurse Jackie

Who I Think Will Win:

Modern Family. Why? Glee won last year, and Modern Family was snubbed. So this year, I think they’re going to turn the table and give Modern Family the win.

Who I Want To Win:

30 Rock. Why? When a show is in its fifth season, usually it starts to wear you down, like How I Met Your Mother and The Office, for example. But 30 Rock, surprisingly, did the exact opposite. It bounced back from a shaky fourth season and became funnier than ever. So for its fifth-season rejuvenation, I think 30 Rock deserves to win in this category, again.

Biggest Upset: The Big Bang Theory. I used to love this show but this season definitely hasn’t been the best. If it weren’t for Parsons’ Sheldon, I probably would’ve quit watching altogether.

Biggest Snub: Community. I get why Parks and Recreation didn’t get any love, it’s because stupid NBC has pushed its schedule to next year, thus denying them the chance to shine for the HFPA. But Community is having a stellar season, and it’s the most meta, poignant, hilarious and did I mention AWESOME?? show on television right now. The fact that it’s basically ignored at the Globes is just disappointing.

UPDATE: Winner: Glee.

So that’s it, your 68th Annual Golden Globe nominations. Who are you rooting for this time around?